Counter



4'T Sheefs-Sheet l H. N. BLISS COUNTER Filed March 12, 1941 Oct. 19,1943.

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H. JN. BLISS 'omn 19, 1943.

COUNTER Filed March l2 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 mam/bob HAR VEYNLJSS Oct. 19, 1943. H. N..Bl |ss 2,332,199

' COUINTER` A Filed March 12, 1941 7 Sheets-sheet s HAR VEY N 513165 l-dl. N. BLISS COUNTER oct. 19, A1943.

Filed March 12, 1941 7 She'ets-Sheet 4 SIMM ARVEYNLJJS H. lN. BLISS oct. 19, 1943.

COUNTER 7 sheets-sheet 5 Filed March l2 1941 HQRVEYNL/Js S i r1 NM.. QW

H. N. BLISS Oct. 19, 1943.

COUNT ER Filed Maren 12, 1941 7' sheets-sheet e bium/EY N BLISS H. N. BLISS Oct'. 19, 1943.

COUNTER Filed March l2, 1941 Sheets-Sheet '7 .HARVEYNLS Patented Oct. 19, 1943l UNITED STATES PATENT oI-FlcE COUNTER Harvey N. Bliss, Windsor, Conn., assignor to Veeder-Root Incorporated, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application March 12, 1941, Serial No. 382,895

6 Claims. (Cl. 23S-135) The present invention relates to registering or I counting apparatus and has particular relation to a mechanism for registering the total amount or number of units of material dispensed and means for simultaneously registering the total cost of the material dispensed.

In the present instance, the mechanism is shown as being adapted for use with apparatus for dispensing gasoline or other fluids and wherein it is desired to simultaneously register both the amount dispensed and the cost thereof.

An object of the present invention is to provide in an apparatus of the above-indicated type any improved transfer mechanism whereby the step by step advance of the wheels of higher order is controlled through means driven from Iandin direct relation to the wheel of lowest order and where such transfer means include means for preventing an overthrow of the numeral wheels during a counting operation.

A further object is to provide in a mechanism of the above-indicated type an improved drive unit for operating the lowest order Wheels, the higher order wheels, and for releasing the means for preventing overthrow of the numeral wheels of higher order; said drive unit being so constructed as to carry out the aforementioned operations in timed relation to one another.

Another object is the provision in an apparatus of this type of improved means for controlling and operating the transfer mechanism and wherein the operation of the transfer mechanism between the wheels of lower order and the wheels of higher order is operated from and through the drive means for the wheels of lower order.

A still further object is to provide an improved registering or counting mechanism of the aboveindicated type including resetting mechanism and wherein the resetting mechanism operates to release the counters from the drive and transfer means and thereafter reset them to zero.

Astill further object is to provide an improved registering or counting mechanism of the aboveindicated type which is characterized by its compactness in arrangement, simplicity in operation, economypin manufacture, and dependability in service and performance.

Other .objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The inventionaccordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplied in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the registering mechanism embodying the invention herein:`

Fig. 2 isa plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view through the center line of Fis 1:

Fig. 4 is a more or less diagrammatic perspective view of one of the counter wheels showlng the transfer mechanism;

Fig. 5 is an end view with th'e front supporting plate removed to show the transfer mechanism with the parts in position immediately following a transfer;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but with the transfer mechanism released to permit a resetting operation;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of one of the counter wheels showing the reset element of 'the transfer mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view through one of the counters to show the details of construction and the mounting of the counters on the supporting shafts;

Fig. 9 is a view showing the means operative during resetting for clutching the counter wheels to their supporting shafts;

Fig. 10 is an end view showing the means for disconnecting the counters from the drive means;

Fig. 11 is a front view of the member for operating the means for conditioning the numeral wheels for a resetting operation; and

Fig. 12 is a modified View of the drive unit.

Referring to the drawings, the mechanism includes generally four counters designated as A, B, C, and D, which, together with the mechanism for operating same, are supported between a front 'frame plate l0 and a rear frame plate I2'. The

plates I0 and I2 are stamped from any suitable metal and interconnected by bracing members I4 to hold the mechanism as a compact unit.

More particularly, the four counters are of like construction, and referring specifically to the counter A (see Fig.' 8), it includes a numerall carry indicia from to 9 to indicate the cost of the material dispensed; the wheel |6a designating units, the wheel |8a designating tens, and the wheel 20a designating hundreds. As the counters C and D are used to designate the amount of material dispensed, the indicia on the rims 26 of these numeral'wheels differs only in that the wheels successively indicate tenths, units, and tens.

The lowest order wheel |6a is further provided with a driving gear 28a which is shown as formed integral therewith, but obviously could be an independent gear secured in any suitable way to the wheel. The successively higher order wheels differ from the lowest order wheel in that they carry a transfer ratchet; that associated with the second numeral wheel being designated as 30a and that with the third wheel as 32a; these ratchets being hereinafter fully described in connection with the drive mechanism. The order wheels of the counter A are supported and loosely rotatable on a counter shaft 34a, which shaft in turn is rotatably mounted in the frame plates I0 and |2 for' reasons hereinafter apparent.

As all of the counters are of like construction to the counter A (except when otherwise noted), no further description thereof will be'made as the corresponding parts have been given :similar numbers with a small letter sufllx corresponding to the capital letter designating the counter.

In order to arrange the counters so that a cost and amount counter may be seen through windows in each side of the usual casing (not shown) in which the device is mounted, the counter shafts 34a and 34h are arranged in spaced alignment in an upper horizontal plane, and the shafts 34e and 24d are arranged in spaced alignment in a lower horizontal plane and respectively in vertical alignment with theshafts 34a and 34h.

With the counters so located, 'there is provided a drive means for each pair, said means including an upper drive shaft 36 rotatably mounted in the frame members and located in horizontal alignment and midway between the cost counter shafts, and a lower drive shaft 38 similarly arranged relative to the material counter shafts. The upper drive shaft 36 is connected to a variator (not shown) through a driving connection including a beveled gear 40 secured on shaft 36 and meshing with a bevel gear 42 secured to the upper end of a connecting shaft 44. The lower end of the shaft 44 carries a second bevel gear 46 meshing with a bevel gear 48 rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 50; the bevel gear 48 meshing with a crown gear 5.2 operatively connected to the variator in any suitable way. In like manner, the lower drive shaft 38 is connected to a meter (not shown) through a driving connection including a gear 53 secured to shaft 38 and meshing with a gear 54 secured to a shaft 56 rotatably mounted in the frame members. There is also secured on shaft 56 a bevel gear 58 meshing with a bevel gear 60 secured to the upper end of a shaft 62 operatively connected in any suitable way to the meter.

In this manner, upon a dispensing operation being carried out, the drive shafts 36 and 38 will be rotated, and means are provided for transferring their rotation to the respective counters associated therewith. As the means for accomplishing this transfer are duplicated. the description of these parts (except where otherwise indicated). will relate to the cost counter drive means, and like numerals will be applied to like parts of the material counters drive means, except that the numerals associated with the material counters are primed.

To accomplish the transfer of rotation from the drive shaft to the cost counters, there is rotatably vmounted on shaft 36 a drive unit generally designated as 31 and adapted for controlling the operation of the order wheels of the adjacent counters. More specifically, the drive unit 31 includes an elongated sleeve 64 having secured to its forward end a drive gear 66 and to its after end a second drive gear 68. As best seen in Fig. 2, the spacing between the gears 66 and 68 is such that the gear 66 meshes directly with the drive gear 28a of the lowest order wheel of the counter A and the gear 68 meshes directly with the drive gear 28h of the lowest order wheel of the cost counter B. In this way, upon rotation of the gears 66 and 68 in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in Figs. l and 4),v the lowest order wheels of the opposed cost counters will be simultaneously rotated in a clockwise or counting direction.

To connect the gear-carrying sleeve 64 to the drive shaft 36, there is provided a cone clutch, generally .designated as 10, including a female clutch member 12 formed on the forward face of the drive gear 66 and a male clutch member 14 secured to a sleeve 16 slidably mounted on the shaft 36. In order to rotate the sleeve 16, the latter is provided with a flange 88 radially spaced from the sleeve by a web 89; the flange 88 being provided with splines receivable within slots provided in a throat 90 formed in the drive gear 40. The clutch members 12 and 14 are normally urged to the driving position shown in Fig. 3 by a spiral spring 82 having one end seated within a recess 86 provided in the hub of the drive gear 40 and its other end abutting the web 89 of the sleeve.

In the present instance, the drive gear 66 not only operates the lowest order wheel of the counter A, but-also carries means for operating the transfer means for making a step by step advancement of the higher order wheels of both cost counters A and B upon predetermined rotation of the lowest order wheel of the counter A. To accomplish this transfer, there is formed integral on the after face of gear 66 a positive motion cam 9| having a track (see Figs. 3 and 4) in which there rides a cam follower 94. Operated by the cam 9| is a bell crank transfer lever 96 having a vertical arm 88 and a horizontal arm |00 carrying at its outer end the cam follower 94; the lever 96 being pivotally mounted at the juncture of the arms on a control shaft |02 rotatably mounted in the frame members. To operate the lever 96 the track cam 92 includes an advancing portion |04 which is so located relative to the lowest order wheel that when the numeral 9 is aligned with the pointer 93 the follower 94 will enter the track portion |04 where upon continued rotation the transfer lever 96 will be pivoted in a clockwise direction until the numeral 9 is aligned with the pointer 93, at which point the follower 94 will have reached the end of the portion |04. The remainder of the track 92 is so formed that upon continued rotation the transfer lever 96 will be slowly'pivoted in a counterclockwise direction; this alternate pivoting of the transfer lever being utilized fo'r advancing Ythe l higher order wheels.

n V n 2,382,199 counter A and'means. generally designated as |08, for advancing the higher order wheels of the counter B. Referring initiallyfto the means |06, it includes a link pivotally connected at one end to the vertical arm 98 of the transfer lever 96 and at its other end to the upper end of a vertical lever ||2, which lever is pivotally mounted at its lowerend on an auxiliary shaft IM supported between the frame members. Also pivoted on the upper end of the lever ||2 is a transversely extending transfer arm ||6 carrying on its outer end (left, as viewed in Fig. 4) a long depending pawl ||8a vand a short depending pawl |20a. These pawls are so spaced that pawl ||8a enengages the ratchet 30a of the intermediate numeral wheel |6a and the pawl |20a engages the ratchet 32a of the highest order wheel 20a.

The engagement of the short pawl |20a with the ratchet 32a is controlled by the movement of the ratchet 30a; this latter ratchet being provided with nine shallow notches |2|a and one deep tooth notch |22a. 'I'he deep notch I' 22a is so positioned on the ratchet that the drive pawl will be received therein when the numeral 9 of the intermediate wheel is aligned with the indicator 93 whereby upon the next operation of the transfer means both the intermediate wheel and the highest order wheel will be advanced one step. With this construction, when the long pawl ||8a is positioned in any of the nine shallow notches of the ratchet 30a, the short pawl |20a will be raised above the peripheral edge of the ratchet 32a, whereas when the long pawl is positioned in the deep notch |22a, the short pawl |20 will be engaged in one of the notches of the ratchet 32a; these notches all corresponding in depth to the shallow notches of ratchet 32.

In the embodiment illustrated, the driving pawls ||8a and |20a and the ratchet teeth ofthe ratchets 30a and 32a cooperate to prevent overthrow of the numeral wheels lwhen the latter are advanced in a counting direction. To accomplish this, the ratchet pawls and notches are cut substantially rectangular whereby when they are received in one of the notches they cannot be removed therefrom except by pivoting the transinto the next succeeding notch. Obviously the cam |26a could be so constructed that the transfer arm is maintained out of engagement with the ratchet from the 'time the drive pawl is released from one notch untilit 'is aligned with the next successive notch.

Referring now to the means |08 for advancing the higher order wheels of the counter Bthis means includes a transfer arm ||6b pivoted at its inner end to the upper end of the vertical arm 98 ofthe transfer lever 96 and carrying at its outer end transfer pawls ||8b andy-|201) respectively `engaging the ratchets 30h rand 32h; the

transfer arms ||6b and pawls |'|8b and |20b carried thereby being of similar construction to the transfer arm ||6a and pawls ||8a and |20a. In order to release the pawls ||8b and |20b from their respective ratchets, the drive gear 66 carries a cam |26b of like construction to the cam |26a and located in a like relative position whereby it controls the transfer arm ||6b in the manner cam |26a controls the transfer arm ||6a.

It will also be noted that inasmuch as the lowest order Wheels are operated inthe same direction, the transfer arms- |6a. and ||6b must like- Wise operate the higher order wheels in the same direction. For this reason, the transfer arm |611 Y in effect pulls the higher order wheels of the fer arm to raise the pawls vertically until they clear the periphery of the ratchets. In this way, once the pawls are positionedwithin the -notches there is a positive interlock therebetween, and if a numeral wheel should tend to overthrow, the next succeeding tooth will engage the driving pawl and restrain further movement of the wheel.

In order to release the pawls ||8a and |20a from the ratchet teeth, there is carried by the drive gear 68 a releasing means comprising a cam |26a positioned in. timed relation to the advance of the numeral wheelsso that it will engage the under surface of the transfer arm ||6a shortly after the completion of an advance of the numeral wheel and pivot the transfer arm upwardly to lift the drive pawls from the ratchet notches. The cam |26a is of such length that it will retain the transfer arm |I6a in its raised position until the transfer lever 98 has moved suiciently in a counterclockwise direction to move the transfer pawls out of alignment with the ratchet tooth notch 'from which it has been lifted. When the pawl has been moved out of alignment with the notch fromwhich it was released, the cam |26a will then move out of engagement with the transfer armv ||6a, permitting theI transfer arm to lower untilthe pawl engages thenext succeeding tooth, Where upon continued movement of the transfer arm the pawl will align with and drop counter A, whereas the transfer arm ||6b pushes the higher order wheels of the counterA B.

In order to prevent reverse rotation of the order wheels following an advance in the counting direction, there is associated with each of the ratchets of the wheels of higher order a retainer or non-back-up pawl |32; those associated with the counter A being pivotally mounted intermediate of their ends on the control shaft |02 and those associated with the other counters being pivotally mounted on the auxiliary shafts ill. Each of the-pawls |32 terminates at its upper end in a nose |36 adapted to be received within a ratchet notch to thus restrain the Wheels against reverse direction. In order to so position the pawls, they are normally pivoted into engagement with the ratchets by means of a spring |40 which is secured at its lower end to the pawl supporting shaft and at its upper end engages the side of the pawl remote from the ratchet with which the pawl is associated. Obviously, with this construction the pawls will normally be biased towards engagement with the ratchets, and when the Wheels are operated in a counting direction the pawls will be pivoted out of engagement against the tension of the springs |40 until the pawl is aligned with the next succeeding notch, whereupon the spring will automatically urge it therein.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the drive unit 31 carried on the drive shaft for each set of counters simultaneously controls the driving operation of the lowest order wheels of the two counters and, through the zpositive cam 92, also controls the complete drive for all of the order wheels of both of the opposed counters. In addition to the foregoing, this drive means also includes the releasing cams |26 whereby the transfer arms may be released from the respective ratchets following a transfer thereof, thus breaking the interlocking engagement, whereby the overthrow of the wheels is prevented.:V By incorporating all of the foregoing structures into the single unit, it is obvious that they may be arranged in such order that all of the foregoing operations may be synchronized to operate in proper timed relation to one another to accomplish the results desired. In'addition, the foregoing structure lends itself to ready manufacture and quick assembly and, by utilizing a minimum number of parts, considerably reduces the cost of manufacture.

Referring now to the resetting means, there is provided a centrally located reset shaft |42 rotatably journalled in the frame members I and I2. Upon rotation of the reset shaft, it operates mechanism to break the clutching engagement between the counter drive shafts and the counters, to release the transfer pawls from the,higher order wheels, release the retainer or non-backup pawls from the order wheels, clutch the order wheels to the countershafts, and thereafter rotate the counter shafts to return the order wheels to zero position.

To accomplish these various steps, there is secured to the reset shaft forwardly of the frame I0 a reset cam |44 (see Figs. 1 and 2) having a peripheral notch |46 which, when the counters are in zero position, lags approximately 90 behind vertical position. Positioned in notch |46 during counting operations is a follower |48 carried on the outer end of a crank arm |50 secured to the control shaft 02. The crank arm is normally urged in a clockwise direction by a spring |62 connected at one end to the follower |48 and at the other to the extending end of a shaft ||4'; this rotation tending to rotate the reset cam |44 in a counterclockwise direction when the follower |48 is located within the notch |46.

To limit this rotation, there is struck from crank arm |50y a stop tab |56 engageable against a reset stop arm |58 of a bifurcated lever |60,'

which lever is pivoted intermediate of its ends on the'control shaft |02. As indicated, when the stop tab |56 abuts the arm |58, the lever |60 will be pivoted in a clockwise direction until the opposite arm |62 of the lever,|60 engages the periphery of a non-back-up ratchet |64 secured to the main reset shaft |48 rearwardly of the reset cam |44, thus limiting further rotation. The lever |60 is also urged to the position shown in Fig. l by a spring |66 secured at one end to the finger |58 and at the other to the frame member |0. However, upon rotation of the reset shaft, the control lever will be pivoted in a counterclockwise direction, and when the tooth |68 of the non-back-up ratchet |64 clears the end of the arm |62, the spring |66 will pivot the arm to locate it behind the tooth and thus prevent reverse rotation of the reset shaft. Thereafter, upon continued rotation of the reset shaft, the follower |48 will ride out and onto the periphery of the reset cam |44, rotating the control shaft |02 through approximately 45.

It will also be noted that the lever |50 extends beyond the control lever |60, and there is associated therewith a latch |5| pivoted to the frame member |0 on a stud |53. The latch |5| includes a depending arm |55 and an upwardly extending arm |51, which arm is connected through a spring |59 to the frame member i0 whereby the latch is normally urged to rotate' in a counterclockwise direction. To prevent such rotation, the depending arm carries at its lower end an outwardly turned shoulder |6| which normally abuts when the parts are in zero position against the end of the lever |50. However, when the lever |50 has been rotated through the 45 previously described, it will clear the shoulder |6| of the latch, whereupon the latter will be pivoted until it abuts against the end of lever |60.

When the reset shaft has been rotated sufficiently to cause the follower |46 to nde onto the periphery of the cam |44, the zero limiting notch |66 carried by the non-back-up ratchet will have moved to a position where it engages beneath the non-back-up arm 62 of the lever |60, whereupon it will pivot this lever counterclockwise asainst the tension of spring |66. When this occurs, the latching shoulder |6| of the latch |66 will then move into the path of a shoulder |66 formed on the outer end of the lever |60 to restrain this lever in position. When so restrained, the arm |66 of the lever |60 will then lie in the path of rotation of the tooth |63 and thus restrain further rotation of the reset shaft. This restraint will occur when the notch |46 is again aligned with the follower |46, whereupon the spring |62 will cause the lever |60 to rotate in a clockwise direction and the reset shaft to rotate in a counterclockwise direction to return Ithe parts to the positions indicated in Fig. 1. When this occurs, the outer cammed edge |61 of the lever |60 will engage beneath the shoulder |6| of the latch |66, camming it outwardly to release the lever |60, whereupon this lever will be returned by a spring |66 to the position shown in Fig. 1.

Upon the rotation of the lever |50 to release the follower |48 from the notch |46, the control shaft |02 will simultaneously rotate a crank arm |10 (see F18. 2), a gear segment |12, and a second gear segment |14, all fixed thereon. The crank arm |10 is provided at its outer end with a pin |16 receivable within the bifurcated end of a lever |16 (see Fig. 10) rotatably mounted on a collar |60 (see Fig. 3) secured to the reset shaft |42. The pivoted end of the lever |18 controls the movement of a yoke |82, which yoke is provided with opposite bifurcated ends |84 straddling the sleeves 16 of the counter clutch members 10 and 10', whereby when the yoke is moved longitudinally and to the right on the shaft |42 (as viewed in Fig. 3), the clutch members will be opened. To obtain this longitudinal movement, the pivoted end lever |18 is provided with forwardly extending detents |66 receivable within recesses |80 of the yoke member |62 when the parts are in driving relation. However, upon the pivoting of lever |16, the detents |66 will be rotated out of the recesses onto the fiat face of the yoke, moving it to the right, as seen in Fig. 3, and thus declutching the counters from their respective drive shafts.

Simultaneously with the foregoing operation the gear segment |12 is rotated, and l'this segment meshes with a rack provided on an arm |9| extending laterally from a releasing member |02 (see Figs. 1 and 5) whereby the member |62 will be raised to release the transfer pawls and retainer pawls from engagement with the higher order wheels. As best seen in Figs. 2, 3, and 6, member |62 is mounted by cutting slots |64 therein through which the drive shafts 36 and 66 and reset shaft |42 extend; the length of theA top and bottom slots acting to limit the vertical movement thereof. To guide member |92 in its vertical movement, the upper end may also exas seen in Fig. 6. 'I'he raisingof the member |36 also releases the non-back-up pawls |32, and

the non-back-up pawls to pivot them out of they notches of the numeral wheel ratchets and free same for a reset operation. 4

,To cooperate with the foregoing, the second gear segment |14 operated by the control shaft |02 simultaneously functions to shift a clutch operating member 205 `transversely and to the right, as seen in Fig. 9, to clutch the order wheels of each counter to their respective supporting shafts. As best seen in Fig. 11, the member 205 comprises a substantially rectangular plate 286 provided with arms 208 extending laterally from the left-hand edge thereof and arms 2I0 extending laterally from the right-hand edge thereof. Each of the arms 208 and 2I0 are provided with a slot 2 I2 through which the counter supporting shafts extend for mounting the slide for transverse movement on the supporting shafts. In order to operate the member 205, plate 206 has an opening 2|4, the lower edge of which is provided with teeth to form arack 2 I8 meshing with the gear segment |14.

Upon the transverse movement of the clutch.- ing member 205, detents 2 I8 provided on each of the arms 2I0 will be moved into alignment with the respective counter supporting shafts whereby the numeral wheels will be shifted longitudinally and to the right on the supporting shafts (as viewed in Fig. 8); this longitudinal movement being limited by a stop 240 abutting the hub of the lowest order wheel. When this longitudinal movement occurs, the wheels are clutched to the' supporting shafts by friction means whereby upon rotation of the shafts the wheels will rotate simultaneously therewith.

Referring again to Fig. 8, the friction clutching means comprises a friction member 220 nonrotatably slidably secured on the shaft 34a by a depending tongue 222 extending into -a groove 224 provided in the shaft and positioned between the arm 208 of the clutching member and the adjacent end of the hub 22 of the highest order wheel. Upon the detents 2I8 being moved behind the friction member 220, the latter will be forced to the right, sliding the highest order wheel a to the right and into frictional engagement with a second friction member 226. This friction member is also nonrotatablybut slidably secured to the shaft 34a in like manner to the friction member 220, but comprises a substantially large circular plate located between opposed friction faces 228 fixed to and extending outwardly from the discoidal webs 24 of the numeral wheels.

Obviously when the numeral wheel 20a is slid to the right and into engagement with the friction member 226, the latter will also be forced into engagement with the wheel |8a, whereupon the wheel |8a will be slid to the right. The movement of the wheel |811 to the right is utilized to actuate means for clutching the lowest order wheel to the shaft 34a aswell as for increasing the frictional engagement between the intermediateand higher order wheels and the friction disk 226 to positively assure the rotation of all of the wheels upon the rotation of the shaft 34a.

To -obtain the foregoing result, there is slidably mounted on 'the hub 22 of the wheel |8a adjacent the lowest order wheel I6a a friction plate 234 which is normally urged outwardly against a spring 230. The spring'230 is mounted on the hub,22 .of the wheel |81; and is normally selfcontained between the friction plate and a hub shoulder 232; the spring being preloaded to normally exert just sufficient pressure against the friction plate to maintain it positioned against the shoulder 238.

The friction plate 234 further includes a friction face 235 which is oiset to lie in a plane to the right of the end of the' hub of the order wheel |8a and adjacentes. friction member 238 of like construction to the friction member 226, which friction member when urged to the right will abut the friction face 228 of the lowest order wheel |6a.

With lthe foregoing construction, when the order wheel |8a is urged to the right, the friction face 235 of the plate 234 will engage the friction disk 238, and the latter will engage the lowest order Wheel |6a; this engagement occurring prior to the completion of the full extent of sliding movement of the higher order wheels whereby the shoulder 236 will move away from the friction plate and the spring 230 will be placed under increased compression. When the spring 230 is placed under increased compression, it will then exert a pressure in two directionsone to positively urge the friction plate 234 and friction disk 238 into engagement with the lowest order wheel andthe other to positively urge the intermediate order wheel and the higher order wheel into positive engagement with the friction member 226, thus positively assuring a rotation of all of the vorder wheels upon rotation of the supporting shaft 34a.

In addition to assuring a positive rotation of the numeral wheels, the utilization of the spring 230 reduces to a minimum the amount of sliding movement required to obtain frictional engagement between the wheels and friction member; in actual practice it being found that a clearance of a few thousandths of an inch is all that is required to permit free rotation of the wheels when operating in a counting direction and to positively assure clutching when the wheels are moved longitudinally for a resetting operation.

In order to rotate the shaft 34a to reset position, the main reset shaft |42 carries a reset gear operating pawl 242 which, when the aforedescribed operations have been completed, engages a. lug 244 on a main reset gear 246. The main reset gear 246 meshes with four reset wheels 256; each being respectively secured to one of the counter shafts 34. In this manner, upon rotation of themain gear 246, the shafts 34 will all be simultaneously rotated in a counterclockwise direction and, when the wheels are clutched thereto, will simultaneously rotate the wheels in a like direction towards zero position.

In order to positively stop the wheels at zero position, the non-back-up pawls |32 also function as stop pawls, and to cooperate therewith each of the ratchets of the higher order wheels is provided with a stop lug 258 (see Figs. 4 and 6) extending radially from one of the ratchet teeth. The stop lugs 258 are approximately half the width of the teeth, whereby they will ride past the driving pawls during counting and resetting operations. It will also be noted that they extend radially a sufficient distance to contact the retainer pawls when the latter have been moved out of vengagement with the ratchet wheel notches when the counter is conditioned for resetting (see Fig. 6). Due to the fact that the shoulder or restraining ring 236 by a spiral wheels are only frictionally engaged to their respective shafts, the stopping of one wheel at zero does not interfere with the continued rotation of the others.

To positively stop the lowest order wheels at zero position, there is also associated with each of said wheels a non-back-up pawl 259 of like construction to the non-back-up pawls previously described. To cooperate with these pawls, the zero wheel is provided with a ratchet 26| having a single tooth 263, which tooth functions as a stop lug when the lowest order wheel is operated in reset direction to engage with the pawl and positively stop it at zero.

When the counters have all been reset to zero position, the notch |46 in the reset cam |44 will again align with the follower |46 whereby upon releasing the reset shaft |42 `the spring |52 will,

again operate the crank arm |50 in a clockwise direction to return the reset cam |44 to the position shown in Fig. 1 and to simultaneously lower the slide |92 to re-position the transfer arms |06 and |08 and non-back-up pawls |32 and to operate the slide 205 transversely to declutch the wheels from their supporting shaft drive clutches and likewise to reverse the operation of the pawl 242 to move it out of contact with the lmain reset gear lug 244 and thus recondition the counter for a new counting operation.

It will also be noted, by reference to the reset stop pawl |63 (Fig. 1)', that the reset shaft is operated through one complete revolution plus an overtravel; this overtravel being sufficient to assure that all of the wheels will be positively returned to zero position, thus compensating for any possibility of slip during the clutching of the wheels to their respective supporting shafts.

Reviewing the structure for accomplishing the resetting, it will be seen that upon the operation of the reset shaft a single slide member is utilized for controllingA the non-baek-up and stop pawls of all of thewheels of higher-order and a second single member is utilized for clutching the wheels of all of the counters to their respective supporting shafts to condition them for resetting; both of lthese members being operated from the single reset shaft.

Referring to Fig. 12, there is shown a modified form of driving means for each pair of counters and wherein the de clutching ofthe drive unit from the drive shaft is accomplished through the clutch slide member 205 which conditions the numeral wheels of the counter for resetting To accomplish the foregoing, the drive unit 39, which is of like construction to that shown in the other embodiment, is rotatably mounted on a sleeve 260 slidably mounted on a drive shaft 262. The sleeve 260 has integral with its forward endn a male clutch member 264 which is normally urged into clutching engagement by a spiral spring 266 positioned on the hub of the clutch member and receivable within a recess provided in the hub of a driving gear 40. lAs in the previous embodiment, the gear 40 is operatively connected to the variator when associated with the cost counters and with the meter when associated with the amount counters. In order to rotate the male clutch member 264, it is connected to the shaft 262 by a pin 210 extending through the shaft and secured to a collar 212 mounted on the sleeve 260, which collar also functions as a positioning member for the drive unit 39,

It will also be noted that the sleeve 250 is provided with diametrically opposed, longitudinal slots 214 through which the pin 210 extends; these slots permitting longitudinal movement of the sleeve relative to the shaft 262. As previously explained, the clutching member 264 is normally urged into clutching .engagement, and as the sleeve is integral therewith, it will also be urged rearwardly, or to the left as viewed in Fig. 12, whereupon its after end will abut against a spacer 216, which spacer lies flush against the clutching member v205.

To release the clutch 264, the clutching member is further provided with a longitudinal slot 216 (see Fig. 11) through which the drive shaft 262 extends, whereby the clutching member may be slid transversely relative to the shaft. The clutching member is further provided with forwardly extending detents 260 so positioned that upon transverse movement of the clutching member the detents will move behind the spacer 216, thus sliding the sleeve 260 longitudinally to open the clutch and thus break the driving connection between the drive shaft and drive unit. With this construction, it will be seen that the clutching member 205 not only functions to condition all of the numeral wheels for a resetting operation, but also breaks the drive connection between the counters and the respective drive means therefor. i

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely difl'erent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all'matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a counter,r a lower order wheel and a higher order wheel, drive means for continuously prevent overthrow of said higher order wheel,

and means driven in unison with the lower order wheel drive means for releasing said parts upon operation of the pawl in a non-counting direction.

2. In a counter having a lower order wheel and a higher order wheel, a gear connected to the lower order wheel, a notched ratchet connected to the higher order wheel, a drive unit including a gear meshing with the gear connected to the Wheel of -lower order for operating said wheel in a counting direction, a cam carried by said drive unit, a transfer lever oscillated by'said cam, la transfer arm pivoted at one end to said transfer lever and carrying a pawl at its other end, said pawl being receivable within the notches of said ratchet and releasable therefrom only upon pivoting of the transfer arm, and means carried by said drive unit for pivoting said arm to release the pawl from the ratchet notch.

v3. In a counter, a numeral wheel, a notched ratchet connected to the numeral wheel, a pivoted drive pavvl engageable in said notches for operi-:ting said numeral Wheel, said pawl being releasabie from said notches only hy movementl fthe drive paw] about its pivot, means for oscil latin? said drive pawl, and means driven in unison with said last-*named means for moving the pawl about its' pivot to release it from said ratchet notches upon the completion of an cscillation in a driving direction.

a In a counter, a numeral wheel, a ratchet connected to said Wheel so as to rotate there with and having notches, an oscillatory and pivoted arm having a pawl engageable in said not-:ihes and pawl being generally square-cut for preventing overthrow of said wheel and ratchet when the same are operated in a counting direction, drive means for oscillating said arm to advance the Wheel with a step by step movement, and means associated with said drive means and driven in unison therewith for movd ing the arm outwardly about its pivot to release the pawl thereof from the notches of the ratchet upon completion of an oscillation of the arm iin a driving direction.A

5. In a counter, a numeral wheel, a ratchet connected to said wheel so as to rotate therewith and having notches, an oscillatory and pivoted arm having a pawl engageable in said notches, 'said notches and pawl being generally square-cut for preventing overthrow of said wheel and ratchet when the same are operated in a counting direction, a rotatable cam for oscillating said arm to advance the Wheel with a step by step movement, and means connected to and driven in uni-- son with said cam for moving the arm outwardly about its pivot to release the pawl thereof from the notches of the ratchet upon completion of an oscillation of the arm in a driving direction.

6,. In a counter, a lower order wheel and a higher order Wheel, drive means for continuously operating the lower order wheel in a counting direction, a ratchet connected to said Wheel of higher order so as to rotate tl'ierewithy and having notches, an oscillatory and pivoted arm having a pawl engageable in said notches, said notches and pawl being generally square-cut for preventing overthrow of said wheel and. ratchet when the same are operated in a counting direction, means associated with said drive means for oscillating said arm to advance the Wheel oi? higher order with a step movement upon predea termined rotation oi? the lower order wheel, and means driven in unison with said drive means for pivoting said arm to release the pawl thereof from the notches of the ratchet upon completion of an oscillation of the arm in a driving d'1- reotion. 

